Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1887-12-15

came with such startling distinctncss
that stopped short 10 listen. Then
il ceased, aud was succeeded by dull
roar Apprehensivc of some disaster,
hurried along. and before had gone
far. ! noticed that the flumo was
empty.
ii knew in an instant what was tho
matter 1t did not take me long TO
reach tho scene of tho noise, and the
sight there confirmed my fears. A
large bowldcr had been detached by
the action of the weather from the
cliff above, and had crashed through
the ilume and carried away about
twenty feet OF ii. Tho water was
rushing and roaring down the rocks.
making y beautiful waterfall. and
dashing the spray over the spot where
| stood. The prccipicc was nearly
four hundred feet high there, and the
llumc not quite one hundred feet from
the top.
IL did not stay long to watch the
sight, beautiful rs il was. for the water
was tearing the rocks and dwarfcd
trees loose. and dashinS them into the
valley below. Hurricdly returning to
the monitors. gave information of the
accident.
"Mr. Baird ut once detailed five men
to so back with me, and accompanied
me himself. A horse hitchcd TO q
small truck was TO bring Us boards and
timber while the men carried what
ropc they could for lowering them
selves from the top of the cliff to the
ilumc. AS the supply of water in the
reservoir would not last many days, IL
was necessary 10 speedily repair the
damage.
"Whcn VIC arrived nj the break Mr..
Baird aud one man set off with mo TO
the lake. to close the gate. leaving the
other four to sling the ropes and make
Il small platform to work OH in mid
air. A great quantity of water had
already escaped. and we hurried OH
until we reached the dam and cate.
"Thc gate was rather complicated
affair of Mr.. Bairds invention. and !
found on turning the handle. thai,
something wcdgcd under it allowed it
to close only half way. We were in 4
hurry. but none of us wished TO jump
down into the current, at the risk OF
being washed away.
"As my canoe was near by. in the
bushes. resolved to try again Il plan
which had more than once already
rcsoricd To when alone. Getting il
from it, hidiug-placc. took the stout,
half-inch, hemp rope that was tied TO
il, and hitchcd the other end 10 4 tree
near by, thus making fast the canoe
in the current directly below the gate.
Taking an axe then lowered myself
between the cross-picccS into it. and
from this position nj once discovered
what was the matter; adrift-sIick had
rot wcdgcd in the grooves. Two or
three blows sulliccd TO break il. What
u careless move my next one was!
"lnstead of handing the axe to Mr.
Baird. or to the workman. | gave it n
toss, intending it to land on the
ground beyond the llumc; but it hit
something that changed its course.
and fell back; the blade struck square
on the rope that held the canoe. and
cut it in two.
Before | could speak, the current
had possession of the craft. and rs /
was standing up the cross-piccc below
struck nc on the back-or rather l
struck the cross.piccc-and knocked
me down in the bottom of the skifE. 4
was not quite deprived OF my senses by
the blow. Stunned though 1 was. the
terrible truth of what might await ne
flashed across me. Not over three
miles below me was the broken place
i'm the llumc, and. hurried on by the
rapid current. what was to hinder me
from being dashed in pieces on the
rocks three hundred feet below
IL think my feelings were somewhat
like those of drowning man. l was
conscious of every thing, could feel
my canoe rubbing against the sides Of
the flumc and see the cross-plcccs
speeding backward above me- rs !
rushed along under them. The sky
was blue, and here and there / caught
glimpscs of trees which leaned over
the ilumc.
"The water swishcd and foamcd ms
it hurried me Oh. Thoughts OF my
past life, too vivid TO be spoken,
flashed OH my brain like u panorama.
| could not sit up. and the smallncss
of the canoe made it impossible for
me to move sideways. forward. or
backward. did not see how deliver
anco possibly could come; l was help
less!